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7 Best Wide Brim Straw Hats for Summer

best gambler straw hat

If you live in a warm climate, you need a good headpiece to shade you from the sun and regulate your body heat. Felt hats are nice, but you will want to save them for cooler weather. You want a breathable material and a wide brim to provide shade. Straw hats provide both! A well-designed straw hat will provide protection from harmful UV rays, protect your head from the elements and look good at the same time.

You have a lot of choices when it comes to picking out a wide brim straw hat. There are hundreds of styles, designs and features. There are western styles, tropical designs that have neck drawstrings and others look like something you would see on the beach. There’s a hat for every style and personality.

Related: Iconic Outdoorsman Hats On a Budget

Here are the Best Wide Brim Straw Hats for Your Summer Excursion

ARIAT Western Cowboy Straw Hat

We’re big fans of the Ariat Western Straw Hat because it’s comfortable, gives ample protection and it looks great! It’s a great cowboy hat for hiking. I wear this to work in the yard and around town. It’s an outdoor cowboy hat that’s perfect for hot climates. You get a nice breeze thanks to the vent holes in the side where you sweat the most. It holds its shape and stays on your head. You won’t have to continually fix it when you work outside. The Ariat Western Straw Hat has a 2-cord chocolate band to give it a western look and a leather sweatband for those hot days in the field. With a 4-1/4” crown and a 4-1/4” brim; this is a good place to begin your search for the best western cowboy straw hats.

Dorfman Pacific Co. Men’s Rush Gambler

The Dorfman Gambler straw hat is a one that you will never forget when you see it. Made from rush straw, which is thick, stiff and extremely durable. You won’t have an issue with comfort when toiling in the hot sun or on the hiking trail. These make great camp hats as well due to their perfect ventilation and durable design. The Dorfman Gambler will make you look like a professional at whatever it is you’re trying to do. This straw hat provides a 3” brim to give you ultimate protection from the sun and has a sweatband to keep sweat from your face. You will have to choose the proper size for this hat as they are fitted. If you’re looking for a stylish wide brim straw hat, but aren’t wanting a “beach hat,” The Dorfman Gambler Straw Hat is a top contender. Trust me when we say people remember this hat when they see it.

Brooklyn Surf Straw Sun Lifeguard Beach Hat

This hat draws inspiration from the surf and skate scenes on the east coast. Designed for an active lifestyle and for those who enjoy a little adventure on a whim. The drawstring closure keeps in on your head on windy days and the fibers will block the sun and keep you cool on a hot day at the beach or on the boardwalk. These are some of the best beach straw hats for under $25 that you will find. Cheap enough to buy a few at a time and put in your Jeep or beach bag. This straw hat will far outlast the ones you find at Target or Walmart. They tend to get floppy when you sweat in them – not this hat! It’s designed for hot days in the sun and by the beach or on the boat. You will be pleasantly surprised at what you get for the price.

San Diego Hat Co. Wide Brim Natural Straw Lifeguard Outback Sun Hat

This is the hat you’ve seen on the beach and boardwalks for years. There’s a reason for that; they offer amazing sun protection and look exceptional. People buy this hat in multiples so they will always have one on hand to go to the beach. The black lining does a great job at blocking out the sun. It fits good, looks great and protects you from harmful UV rays. This is by far one of the best wide brim natural straw hats that you will find. It comes at an attractive price point as well. You can snag one for under $30 or two for around $60 to have a backup or for your beach buddy. This isn’t your typical yard work straw hat – this is a stylish hat that you can wear anywhere.

Stetson Sawmill Straw Hat

No hat list would be complete without an entry from Stetson. Known for their cowboy hats, Stetson has built a lasting reputation in the hat community. The Stetson Sawmill Straw Hat is a perfect choice for those who want the benefits of a straw hat but want a western style they can wear anywhere. This hat features an ample wide brim that protects you from UV rays and keeps your head cool so you can have fun without getting soaked. There’s nothing worse than sweating into your eyes to the point you can no longer see. Stetson designed this hat from premium straw fibers, so it is lightweight and sturdy enough to last a long time. They also had the foresight to install an interior sweatband to protect the hat from sweat and oil that could damage the hat with long term use. You pay a lot of money for your hats, so you want them to last a long time. This hat is also quite fashionable and can be worn into town as well as a lake outing. If you’re looking for a cowboy hiking hat, Stetson makes a great line of lightweight and breathable hats that are perfect for the trail. 

Brooklyn Surf Wide Brim Straw Hat

Another quality beach hat from Brooklyn Surf – this wide brim straw hat comes with a drawstring closure for windy days at the beach and is designed to keep its shape. Made from intricate braiding of raffia straw fibers, this hat is made to protect you from the sun and has an extra wide 4.5” brim that will cover your neck, shoulders and probably part of your upper back. We’ve all been sunburned before and wearing a good straw hat will help give extra protection. You still need to wear sunblock. These wide brim straw hats are perfect for the pool, beach, music festival, summer shopping and anything else you can do in warm weather.

Mexican Gambler Palm Leaf Straw Hat

This hat is precisely what you would expect from a high-quality company. Durable sewing, top of the line straw and an ample wide brim to give you the most UV protection possible. The vented flat top crown gives a natural air flow that will keep you cool. Palm leaf hats are designed to last an exceptionally long time. The materials are harvested from palm trees and dried to give them their natural color. They are then braided and sewn into shape for a sturdy hat that will last for many adventures. This is one of the best palm leaf straw hats for under $35. A lot of people searching for an outdoor fedora hat end up choosing this style because it gives you more coverage. 

How to Choose a Men’s Straw Hat

There are a few tips to consider when choosing the best straw hat for men. 

Pick the Right Size: You have to choose the right size or your straw hat won’t be as comfortable. All you have to do is wrap a tape measure around the top of your head where a hat normally sits over your ears. The centimeters measured is your ideal hat size. Obviously, you may have to guess in some situations, but most straw hats fit pretty good even if you don’t get the perfect size. 

Choose the Right Style: Men’s straw hats come in various styles and you need to choose one that fits your look. There are straw cowboy hats, gambler styles, surf straw hats, beach straw hats, outback straw hats, Mexican gamblers and more. There’s a straw hat for everyone, you just have to choose a style you enjoy. 

A Fuller Brim: Men who are choosing a straw hat for the first time usually grab a smaller brim, but fuller brims are where it’s at. Large brim straw hats look flattering and cover more of your body from the sun. Most people go for a minimum brim of at least 2.5” when choosing a straw hat for men. 

Choose the Right Color: Straw hats for men come in just as many colors as they do styles. Your main choices will be tan with some variations, white and different shades of brown. Tan normally works with more outfits, but white makes a bold statement. Brown straw hats tend to give you a more casual feel, where white straw hats stand out more.

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